1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to apparatuses, systems, and methods of illuminating and/or providing alternative radiation to a dental or medicinal patient. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-light apparatus adapted for use and interconnection with a modular dental or medical chair, and comprising at least one light source, a housing cooperatively configured with the chair to present the headrest thereof, and a rigidly flexible light pipe coupled to the source and presenting an adjustably repositionable outlet.
2. Background Art
Peripheral lighting apparatuses and instruments have long been developed to serve the critical task of illuminating dental and medicinal operatory areas. More recently, specialty lighting techniques have also been developed that aid in curing photo-initiated compounds, treating various surficial ailments, and enabling other radiation based functions such as transillumination in dentistry. Examples of conventional overhead apparatuses and systems can be seen in FIG. 27 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,139,068, and commercially include Lucent and Advanced Operatory Lights sold by Thompson Dental Equipment of Gavilan Hills, Calif. While enabling visibility, the addition of these often bulky lighting apparatuses in the workspace and usually in close proximity to the patient has resulted in various practical concerns.
For example, increased crowding in the workspace often cause inconvenience to an operator, such as the treating dentist, doctor, nurse, or technician. Where the instrument affects performance or hinders access to the patient, it may further present a danger. In some instances, inconvenience to operators may be also caused by asymmetric configurations, and more particularly, by non-interchangeable left and right handed configurations. Of further concern, overhead apparatus often present only incremental adjustment capabilities, especially where limited by tracks and/or guides. Thus, it is appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that these concerns combine to reduce the efficiency of operation.
Portable lighting apparatuses have been developed, such as is commercially available from DNTLworks Equipment Corporation of Centennial, Colo. under the Fiber Optic Operatory Light product line, which reduce workspace obstruction. However, these portable devices also include a wheeled floor stand, tripod or other structure for support. As such, additional appurtenances are still necessary within the workspace, and the same concerns are present albeit to a lesser extent.
A few hand-held lighting devices have, likewise, been introduced to further reduce obstruction and increase freedom of movement. These devices, such as the instruments presented in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,918,762 and 6,419,483, typically include a light source within a hand-held casing, collimating, reflecting, and/or filtering means to organize the light generated by the source, and then an outlet for directing the light towards the patient. However, these devices also result in inconvenience to the operator primarily in that one hand must be occupied to hold the light. Where an additional staff member is utilized to hold the device laborious costs are incurred. Finally, it is appreciated that these devices are typically relegated to curing light and other low power output applications, as significant measures would have to be taken to protect the operator from the large quantities of heat energy generated during incandescence light production.